Marine's 2nd-most wanted deserter seized in Chicago

May 27, 2005

The Marine Corps' second-most wanted deserter was arrested Thursday in Chicago by the Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force.

Larry Patten, who was known as Lawrence Raggs after moving to the Chicago area, had been sentenced to confinement before escaping from Camp Pendleton, Calif., in 1988. He had been demoted and found guilty of bad conduct, a U.S. Marshals Service news release said.

U.S. Marshals spokeswoman Shannon Metzger said a Marine cold-case unit turned over information about Patten's suspected whereabouts this week. Through interviews and photos, local task force investigators confirmed that Patten and Raggs were the same person before making the arrest while Patten walked his dog Thursday morning, she said.

Patten acknowledged his identity after being arrested outside his home, the news release said.

Metzger said Patten appears to have been living in the Chicago area for most of the time since he was accused of deserting, but exactly how long is unclear.